Node-RED

Development256MB+ RAM

Flow-based programming for IoT, automation, and API orchestration

Download Server Compass Install Node-RED to VPS

nocodeiotautomationflow-based

Deploy Node-RED in 3 Steps

Connect Your VPS

Add your server credentials to Server Compass

Select Node-RED

Choose from our template library

Deploy & Configure

Fill in settings and click Deploy

No Docker knowledge required

Video Tutorials

Learn How to Deploy Node-RED

All tutorials

Install Node-RED on Your Own Server in Minutes

Learn how to install and set up Node-RED, a flow-based programming tool for IoT and automation, on your own server using Server Compass.

Watch tutorial

Step-by-step deployment guide

Deploy Node-RED on a VPS with Server Compass

Use the Node-RED template in Server Compass to deploy a self-hosted flow-based automation editor on your VPS, then verify the Node-RED web UI in a browser.

About 7 minutesBrowser verified

Step 1

Open the server Apps tab

Select your VPS, open the Apps tab, and start a new app deployment. Keep sensitive server details hidden before capturing or sharing screenshots.

Server Compass Apps tab before creating a Node-RED app

Step 2

Choose an app template

Click New App and choose the template deployment path so Server Compass can load the built-in catalog.

Choosing to deploy an app from a Server Compass template

Step 3

Search for Node-RED

Use the template picker search to find Node-RED in the Server Compass template catalog.

Searching for Node-RED in the Server Compass template picker

Step 4

Select the Node-RED template

Choose the Node-RED template. Server Compass fills the Node-RED web service, credential encryption secret, and timezone setting.

Node-RED template selected in Server Compass

Step 5

Review the Node-RED settings

Confirm the app name and compose services. In this run, the app was named node-red-demo and used host port 1880.

Reviewing Node-RED project settings and compose services

Step 6

Deploy Node-RED

Review the generated environment values, confirm the port is available, and click Deploy Now.

Reviewing Node-RED environment variables and port before deployment

Step 7

Watch the deployment progress

Keep the deployment modal open while Server Compass uploads the compose file, pulls the Node-RED image, starts the container, and verifies the stack.

Server Compass deploying the Node-RED template on the VPS

Step 8

Confirm Node-RED is running

After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Node-RED app is marked Running with its application URL available.

Node-RED template running in the Server Compass Apps tab

Step 9

Open Node-RED in the browser

Open the application URL in a browser. The Node-RED web UI confirms the stack is reachable.

The deployed Node-RED web UI loaded in a browser

After Node-RED Opens

Configure Node-RED authentication before production use.
Configure HTTPS, editor access controls, palette policy, project settings, and integration credentials before production use.
Add a domain and HTTPS before exposing Node-RED to users.
Back up the Node-RED data volume before relying on it for production flows.

Verified Result

The Node-RED web UI loaded successfully in a browser.

Download Server Compass Docs

Node-RED deployment questions

What does the Node-RED template deploy?

It deploys the Node-RED editor/runtime service with a persistent data volume.

Which port did the tutorial use?

The tutorial verified Node-RED on host port 1880, which maps to the Node-RED web service on container port 1880.

Why does the guide stop at the first-run web UI?

The tutorial verifies the clean Node-RED editor because authentication, flows, nodes, and external integrations depend on the production server.

Should this become a blog post?

No. The deployment guide should live on the Node-RED template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.

Do It Yourself

Deploy Node-RED via Command Line

Prefer the command line? Follow this step-by-step guide to deploy Node-RED manually on your VPS.

Access Your VPS via Terminal

Open a terminal session and log into your VPS. Replace the placeholder with your actual IP.

terminal

# Connect via SSH
ssh root@your-vps-ip

# Alternative with key file
ssh -i /path/to/key root@your-vps-ip

First time? Make sure Docker is installed on your VPS. Run: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh

Set Up Project Folder

Create a workspace for your deployment files.

terminal

# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/node-red
cd ~/apps/node-red

Create the Compose File

Configure your containers with this Docker Compose setup:

docker-compose.yml

services:
  nodered:
    image: nodered/node-red:latest
    ports:
      - "1880:1880"
    environment:
      - TZ=UTC
      - NODE_RED_CREDENTIAL_SECRET=<your-credential-secret>
    volumes:
      - nodered_data:/data
    restart: unless-stopped

volumes:
  nodered_data:

Configuration Variables

PORTHost port to expose(default: 1880)

CREDENTIAL_SECRETCredential encryption secret

TIMEZONEServer timezone(default: UTC)

Deploy Your Stack

Spin up the containers and verify the deployment.

terminal

# Start all services
docker compose up -d

# List running containers
docker compose ps

# Watch the logs
docker compose logs -f

Update Firewall Settings

Allow incoming traffic on the application port.

terminal

# Allow the application port through firewall
sudo ufw allow 1880/tcp
sudo ufw reload

# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:1880

Skip the Terminal

Skip the terminal. Use Server Compass instead.

Deploy Node-RED with a beautiful UI instead. No SSH, no YAML editing, no terminal commands. Just click, configure, and deploy in under 3 minutes.

Beautiful interface
One-click deploys
Let's Encrypt SSL
Zero downtime
Container monitoring
Easy rollbacks

Download Server Compass$29 one-time • Lifetime license

After Deployment

After deploying Node-RED with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup

Configure authentication

Install additional nodes

Create your first flow

Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.

Node-RED FAQ

Common questions about self-hosting Node-RED

How do I deploy Node-RED with Server Compass?

Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Node-RED from the templates list. Fill in the required configuration and click Deploy. The entire process takes under 3 minutes.

What are the system requirements for Node-RED?

Node-RED requires a minimum of 256MB RAM. We recommend a VPS with at least 1024MB RAM for optimal performance. Any modern Linux server with Docker support will work.

Can I migrate my existing Node-RED data?

Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Node-RED backup and restore procedures.

How do I update Node-RED to the latest version?

Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Node-RED image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.

Is Node-RED free to self-host?

Node-RED is open-source software. You only pay for your VPS hosting (typically $5-20/month) and optionally Server Compass ($29 one-time). No subscription fees or per-seat pricing.

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Ready to Self-Host Node-RED?

Download Server Compass and deploy Node-RED to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.

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